The Non-Flowering Character of Sweet Potatoes of the Jersey Type

Most varieties of sweet potatoes (Ipomoesa batatas Lam.) bloom fairly readily under proper environmental conditions. So far as the writer knows, however, there is no report in the literature of a first-hand observation of blossom formation in any variety of the Jersey group, a group defined by THOMPSON and BEATTIE (1). Physiologists, formulating theories of the fundamental mechanisms of flower formation, must take into account the unique behavior of this subspecies from a family of plants whose members are more or less characterized by their capacity to produce blossoms at most nodes while continuing to grow indeterminately. At the same time it is important that a method of producing flowers on Jersey sweet potatoes be found; it is highly desirable that Jersey varieties should be crossed with other varieties in order to combine the excellent market appearance of the Jersey storage roots with the disease resistance, high vitamin content, and vigor found in other members of the species. It is hoped that this paper may stimulate interest in the problem and result in observations and suggestions of benefit to this work.